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Published: August 12th 2013
July 30 Tuesday – Redstone, Penny Hot Springs, Avalanche Ranch - After the flash flood of the night before I woke up to a beautiful day. The road crews had worked all night and I was able to get to my campsite of the previous day and retrieve the few items I had left there to mark the site as “taken”. I then eased into town on the county road side of the river and stopped at the General Store to have a look around and have my morning cup of coffee. So I got my cup of coffee and relaxed on the porch a bit and just took in the view and general ambiance of Redstone.
Redstone is a beautiful little town on the aptly named Crystal River. It is open to one side and bordered on the other by colorful high bluffs.
The weather was perfectly clear and cool. Just the kind of day I love.
After finishing my morning coffee I walked around the town and city park and just enjoyed it all, the weather, the beauty, and the quiet.
Then I drove up the road and checked out Penny Springs and Avalanche Ranch
My campsite at Redstond Campground
My campsite at Redstone Campground before the flash flood washed the road away.Hot Springs. I had intended to spend some time at Avalanche Ranch Hot Springs but they weren’t that big and were crowded with families so I figured I would probably come back in September when the kids are all in school…..TGFS ( Thank God for School), and the "family" vacations over.
After I scouted out the Avalanche Ranch Hot Springs enough to suit me, I headed south on Co. 133 again and past Redstone to the turnout to Marble. I had thought I would check out Marble but the road to it was further than I wanted to go in and back out again so I just drove in to check out the Bogan Flats Campground and back out again. The Bogan Flats Campground was right on the Crystal river so it might not have been a bad place to stay. All campsites were fully reserved. In any case I went in and looked around and then came back out and went back to 133 and south again. In retrospect I should have went in and checked out Marble and then went back to the Redstone Campground for another night. The area was truly beautiful and the weather gorgeous
and I really don’t know what the heck my hurry was.
I started climbing again and in a bit went over the McClure Pass. Once I got over the pass and started down the other side the weather started changing to hot with a hot sun. After a bit I had to stop to put my long sleeve shirt back on to protect my arms from the sun. By the time I got to Hotchkiss it was getting hot and I stopped at the first restaurant I came to in the town just as much to get out of the heat as to eat.
I don’t remember the name of the restaurant but it had a salad bar of a sort and I got a Chicken Fried Steak which came with a trip to the salad bar. I also ordered a glass of water as well as ice tea. The hot sun had dried me out.
So after eating I headed south on Co. 92 towards Crawford and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. When I was coming out of Crawford I passed a sign saying last gas for 80 miles so I stopped and topped off
my tank.
A bit south of Crawford I entered the Curecanti National Recreation Area and started going along the north bank of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
I stopped at a large turnout that was an overlook for the canyon and found a spot where the only shade in this part of the country was provided by a tree. So I pulled up under the tree and rested a bit. I tried to nap but wasn’t able to go to sleep so I just rested a bit.
Afterwards I got out and checked out the canyon view a bit and then followed the slithering snake of a road the rest of the way stopping on turnouts along the way to check out the canyon, till the road intersected with US route 50 at the dam for the Blue Mesa Reservoir.
I crossed over the dam and camped for the night at the Lake Fork Campground which had a great view of the Blue Mesa Reservoir. By now it was getting to be evening and it was pleasantly cool for the evening and cold at night.
At the intersection with Co. 50 it put me
William at Redstone
William enjoying his morning coffee and thinking things over. in great position for my next days drive which would be west to Montrose and then south to Ridgeway. The movie “True Grit” with John Wayne was filmed in and around Ridgeway.
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MarthaS
Martha Leonard
Cool and Beautiful
The more I read and see the photos, I think I will definitely have to explore this area of hot springs. Maybe next year when I am back out in Colo. I have been to Gunnison a couple of times, but never explored the north rim. I am wondering if some of the roads you have been on are suitable for an RV, even a small one. I am familiar with most of the attractions on Hwy 50, a road I have traveled quite a bit and now am staying within a couple of miles of it! Nice photos on this one.